Pop Predicts Dark Moment in Earth's History

Future telling isn't something Gregg Popovich prides himself on, but he's taken chances on other players and many coaches during the 2000s that many of his counterparts wouldn't have. Popovich has a knack for predicting what and who will work out for his team. According to DeMar DeRozan, the San Antonio Spurs head coach had the forethought of a deadly virus soon to change the NBA.

"On the flight from Kobe's funeral, Pop kept talking about a virus spreading and going off about a looming threat," DeRozan wrote in his "Above the Noise" book. "We were giving him a hard time and just laughed it off. 'Classic Pop. You watch too much TV.' A few weeks later ... the NBA suspended the season."

In March 2020, the world experienced a dark period. Casualties from the virus were reported at alarming rates, and people were left unsure of their future. Although important to many, basketball became an afterthought as the world planned for the worst. COVID-19 changed how we live and still affects how businesses run today.

Popovich isn't afraid to come off as outspoken. Although he may sound "rude" or "pushy," his heart is typically in the right place. Popovich didn't hold back from communicating the many perils of COVID-19 in 2020 and the ramifications of not following the health guidelines to lower the risk of spreading the disease.

“We’re still more of an instant-gratification country. We think about ourselves more than the group and the community," Popovich said in December of 2020.

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Popovich is a fearless leader in San Antonio, even at 75.

DeRozan's recent comments about Popovich indicate the San Antonio coach resonated with the Los Angeles native's heart and soul.